


Another view of you

by Reasons_Why_Im_Crazy



Category: Shake It Up! (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2020-03-09 15:10:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18919546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reasons_Why_Im_Crazy/pseuds/Reasons_Why_Im_Crazy
Summary: Cece Jones, a model who struggles to keep herelf relevant, has to work together with fashion designer Gunther Hessenheffer who she hates more than any other person she has ever met. How will that turn out?





	1. Start it up

Cece Jones wants to consider herself one of the new models of her generation. Her career began at America’s Top Models where she quickly rose to the top. She didn’t win though, but that was alright. Her best friend Rocky Blue came first place, and she couldn’t be more happy for her. They became friends almost the moment they met and even if only one of them had to be on the top, they managed to stay famous together as a duo.

That is, until Rocky’s success as the one on top elevated quicker and quicker, leaving Cece behind. Rocky would fight against this to her best abilities, but Cece knew better than letting her friend stay on the same spot and slowly turn irrelevant. That was unacceptable. 

So Rocky got invited to more parties, and more meetings, and more photoshoots, while Cece had to fight for relevance by modeling on Project Runway. This wouldn’t be a problem if it wasn’t for the contestants choosing their own models, and the runner up didn’t like her. His name was Gunther Hessenheffer; a european trying his luck in America. 

No one knows what his face looks like, as he always wear either heavy makeup, masks or scarfs, along with his own-made over-the-top clothes. He even goes as far as wearing different colored contacts, which makes people wonder what his true eye color is. 

Cece will never forget when he was the one to see through the models one by one to pick one to wear his clothes, and when he passed her by he sneered, saying  _ “Isn’t this the one who poses like a deer in headlights?” _

The comment made both Cece’s cheeks and eyes turn red. Her entire body was shaking as he picked some other lady, and she felt sorry for her. Even though Gunther came first place as always. After that, Cece worked as hard as ever before to prove to him that she was more that one pose in a pair of unfitting shoes. 

This night isn’t any special. Cece has nothing to do as always. Rocky is visiting her but she knows her friend isn’t going to stay for dinner. 

“Shouldn’t you get ready for the banquet?” Cece asks her. 

“Are you coming with me?” There is a slight tone of hope in her voice and she looks at her with an innocent smile.

“I wasn’t invited”

“Then I’m not going” 

“Yes, you are going” Rocky then has no choice but sitting in the bathroom with Cece bending over her, doing her hair and makeup, then picking a dress she can borrow for the night. 

“It’s not going to be fun without you” Rocky whines at the front door. She’d look flawless if it wasn’t for her sad expression. 

“It’s not meant to be fun, it’s your work” 

“You got no saying in that matter! You always say I should only pick things I wanna do for fun!”

“Listen, you weren’t present last time. People are wondering where you are. You need to keep your place or else you’ll slack behind” Cece is right, of course. This early into a career, friendship cannot be prioritized over status. Rocky leaves after that, fashionably late for the banquet. Then Cece makes herself ready to go out. She puts on her new designer dress, her brightest red lipstick, and smokes out her eyes. There’s no point in staying home when the night is still young and fresh. She’s gotta do something, last time she went out partying was such a long time ago.

The music inside the club is loud enough to drown the shouting and singing of the people inside. Since Cece doesn’t have anyone to dance with yet and the dancefloor is too packed, she heads to the bar. That’s where the music is the clearest anyway. On her way passing by the dancers she sees a bag in the dim barlights. 

At first she assumes it’s a fake Chanel, but then her eyes lands on the owner of the bag. The man reaches down to pick up his wallet from the bag, the sleeves of his expensive coat slips up and reveals a golden watch. Cece then traces his arm up to his broad shoulders and his well kept blonde hair. She pauses to pay extra attention to his face. His cheekbones are high up on his face and his eyes are hooded underneath his glasses. He tilts his head up ever so slightly, revealing his sharp jawline and adam’s apple.  _ Bingo. _

Cece heads to the man. She pushes herself through the room between the dancers and tables. When there’s just a few feet left the man notices her and turns completely to face her. His eyes goes over her body a couple of times, perhaps not comprehending how beautiful she is, before making eye contact. Cece wraps her hand around his shoulder and bats her eyelashes.  

“Hey, I just wanna say I really love your coat! Where did you buy it?” The man glances down on her with icy blue eyes, making her shiver. He then cracks his first smile and Cece takes that as a good response. 

“I made it myself, actually” 

“Wow, that’s really cool!” Cece laughs. “Are you some designer, because this is really well made!” She leans over to him, looking closer at the coat to seem more interested but also gently squeezing his arm, just testing it. But as the distance between them shortens, a pin on the coat catches her eye. It’s golden, just like his watch, and it looks like a capital G circling around a capital H. She has seen that pin before, on the runway. As she looks back up at the man, it seems he knows she has seen the pin before as well. “Hessenheffer”

“In all of his glory” Gunther says dryly. He leans back, still smiling, but now it looks more like a shiteating grin rather than a flirtagous smirk. 

“I can’t believe I tried to ask  _ you _ out”

“And I can’t believe you expected a  _ yes  _ with that dress on”

“What’s wrong with my dress, it’s a brand new-!” Kristin Wibler. A cold hearted but determined designer and the runner up for Project Runway. She’s the obstacle Gunther has to get through in order to get to the top. They loathe each other. 

It is rather shameful, standing here now, Cece thinks. Gunther looks over her again, but now it is clear that he’s only viewing Wibler’s dress instead of her body which she before had hoped. Although his grin expresses pleasure from seeing her so defeated, his eyes are colder than ever. There is a certain hatred inside them, and Cece believes they are not just for the dress. 

“Well, if you’re done here, you can go away before someone sees us together” Gunther drawls. 

“Yes, I wouldn’t want to destroy your precious reputation” Cece snaps back. 

“I’m glad you’re so considerate, but I’m thinking more about the headlines;  _ Cece Jones gets tragically rejected, _ which might appear once you leave this place alone after talking to me” Cece remembers this is the first time she sees him bare faced and wearing simple clothes. Of course, no one would recognize him without all the extra accessories, so he has nothing to worry about. And she, again, remembers why she headed towards him in the first place. Gunther wears a dark grey shirt underneath the coat, which fits tight around his chest area, and cuts low enough to showcase his defined collar bones.,It should be illegal to be so attractive while behaving the way he does. 

Gunther smirks and leans to the counter, waiting for Cece to leave him alone. She doesn’t dignify him with an answer and instead gives him her worst glare before leaving the club. The night hasn’t even started and yet all she wants to do is go home. Her face is red and and she tells herself it’s because of the rage and not because of the embarrassment. All she can think of is Gunther’s smirk right before she left. It was even more annoying than the smirk he gave her on the runway. 

One day, she will make sure to knock that smug expression off his face.


	2. Match it up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally a new chapter, hopefully someone'll read it lmao

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You bet your ass I'm gonna name all the chapters after "It up's" episodes like the abnoxious bitch I am

The next coming days Cece is alone in her apartment, as Rocky decided to stay at a hotel instead of sleeping over as she had promised. She wakes up by the sunlight streaming into her room and she groans irritated. She must have forgotten to close the curtains yesterday night. She had gone to bed the moment she got home and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillows. She groans again as she sees the clock is barely 7.30 in the morning. She is free today, and for three more days, and had hoped to sleep well into lunch. Seems like her body carries a too heavy grudge that she can’t slumber any longer. 

Cece drags herself up and puts on the laziest of clothes before heading to the bathroom. She looks like a mess. Apparently she forgot many things yesterday, and another one was to clean off her face. Her lipstick is smeared, her mascara is ruined, and her pores are popping out disgustingly. Not bothering to use cotton pads, Cece pours an amount of make-up remover into her hand and starts rubbing it all over her face with it. She then washes it all off and starts her regular skincare routine. 

Getting out of the bathroom feeling a little bit more refreshed, she goes to her kitchen and prepares a light breakfast. As the mixer makes her smoothie and the toaster toasts her toast, Rocky comes wandering into her apartment. She doesn’t stop tapping on her phone as she takes off her jacket and shoes by the hangers, then throwing the dress on the living-room couch. She finally turns her head up to see Cece by the kitchen counter, cutting up avocado and putting it on toast with the eggs. 

“You’re already awake?” She asks, shocked enough to put down her phone.

“Barely” Cece says with not the same awake tone in her voice as her friend. Rocky nods understanding and sits down next to the kitchen table. 

“So how did you do while I was away?” Cece shuts her eyes and stops moving her knife, afraid of cutting her own finger off out of irritation. Rocky notices it. “Did something happen?”

“I met Hessenheffer at the bar” she mutters through her teeth. Rocky’s eyebrows goes up to her hairline. 

“You  _ what? _ ”

“You heard me”

“But-  _ How? _ Didn’t anyone recognize him? He’s pretty hard to miss. How was he even accepted into a club looking like-?”

“He wore normal clothes” Cece interrupts. She puts her toast on a plate and then turns off the blender. When she takes the cup off to pour the smoothie into a glass, she notices she still holds the knife in a tight grip. She carelessly throws it into the sink and it lands with a clatter. “He looked completely normal. No one knew it was him except me, because I saw his pin”

“What happened?” Rocky asks softly. Cece scoffs.  

“When I saw it was him, I gave him some piece of my mind, and then I left. He didn’t seem bothered that I thought he’s a jerk and I’m pissed about that” She intentionally avoided to tell she knew it was him because she attempted to flirt with him. Although Rocky is her best friend, and she cares a lot about her and her drama, she can also laugh when she deems it fitting. And flirting with your archenemy is  _ pathetically hilarious. _

“Well… what can you do? Didn’t you say  _ Dwelling on other people’s opinions on you is unhealthy _ ?”

“I did, and I still stand by that. You got bags under your eyes and stress hives from convincing Locassio to love you”

“So how is this different?” Cece holds up her hand with the palm up.

“You tried to get a guest judge who wasn’t famous to  _ love _ you-” she holds up her other hand. “-and I’m trying to make a designer to  _ tolerate _ me so I stay on the show. My scenario can ruin my career, your scenario didn’t matter because  _ everyone else _ loved you” Cece makes her point even clearer by shaking Rocky’s shoulders. “ _ Tyra Banks _ loved you, Rocky.  _ Tyra Banks!  _ Locassio did no difference to your score,  _ and, _ you literally won that week like it was a piece of cake!” Rocky pushes her away. 

“Okay I get it!” she sighs. “But you gotta promise me this won’t get to your head. I don’t want you to get my bags and hives”

“I promise” Cece says and calms down. 

By the time Cece finishes her breakfast and the two of them watches the TV, someone knocks on the door. Rocky gets up to open, but she only turns the knob before the door swings open and a woman walk insine. She wears a hot pink fur coat along with hot pink stilettos. Her blonde hair is neatly tied up and there is not a single strand of hair out of place. Her bag is Louis Vuitton and her glasses are Gucci. It is Tinka Hessenheffer. 

“Good morning, girls” she says in the most casual tone for a person who just barged into a stranger’s home. Cece struggles up from the couch to get a closer look on her. 

“What are  _ you _ doing here? How do you even know where I live?” Tinka takes off her glasses and puts her bag on the kitchen table.

“Oh please, it is possible to find the home of  _ every  _ public figure. I’m here to offer you a deal, but perhaps you see it more as  _ asking for a favor.  _ Can we sit down?” They all sit down by the table. Tinka takes off her coat and reveals she’s wearing Prada underneath. Cece feels like she’s showing off, but keeps telling herself the Hessenheffers have always been the ones to show off their accessories, Tinka even more so than Gunther. After all, she just got a deal to work with Gucci next year. Every bag collector will want to get their hands on whatever she will come up with.

“So, spit it out”

“Can’t you phrase it a little nicer?” Rocky asks and smiles at Tinka apologetically. She smiles back in a way that implies she knows the reason of Cece’s hostility. 

“It’s alright. I’ve come here with a solution of your current fame issues”

“Uhuh, sounds like a trap”

“Cece”

“I don’t trust her”

_ “Cece” _

“Fine, what’s the deal?” She doesn’t even need to look at her to know what face Rocky is making. It makes her fidget on the spot. 

“Today’s modern fashion world is obsessed with the idea of a designer having their own personal model. Like a mushroom growing on a tree, they get profit from one another. Because of this, many designers are looking for models, and since modeling for one person is in many ways challenging, they are particularly desperate”

“I pass” 

“She haven’t even gotten to the deal part yet” Rocky says and frowns. 

“She’s going to ask me to be her brother’s model. I saw that coming from a mile away”

“That is correct” Tinka says with an expression that’s hard to read. “My brother is also looking for a model, and it is going well for him. He is, however, not very good at  _ keeping _ a model”

“I wonder why...”

“He has never found someone suitable for him” Tinka answers, ignoring Cece’s sarcasm. “Someone who meets up to his expectations of working hard, discussing but also complying when needed to”

“And you want  _ me _ to be that model?”

“I want you to think about it, and perhaps come for a coffee someday and discuss it with him in person”

“Why me though? Has he seriously asked everyone else?”

“He hasn’t, nor have I. There are not many who matches with him, so asking every model on the market is a sign of desperation. Besides, I think you would fit perfectly with your personality and style of modeling, so why ask anyone else?” There is a voice in the back of Cece’s head who tells her Gunther hasn’t told Tinka about yesterday night, which is good. No one should know about that. But at the same time, the two of them can’t be more different and she can only see failure in the future. 

“What would I get from this?” she finally asks.  

“Recognition, invitations, gigs, headlines” Tinka counts them up on her fingers. Cece sneered. 

“As a designer’s model? As if. I could see the headlines;  _ Cece Jones, the only model who could endure Gunther Hessenheffer”  _ Tinka bites her tongue and breathes in.

“Well, if he elevates, you elevate. Sure you’ll be in the shadow for  _ his _ people, but you will definitely catch the eye of  _ your own _ people” 

“And you really think I’m fit for it?” Cece asks unwillingly genuine. 

“I do” Tinka answers and nods. “And the reason Gunther won’t ask for help himself is because he’s too-”

“Stuck up?” She gives Cece an unimpressed look. 

“Watch it, he’s still my brother” Rocky leans in between them. 

“Soooo, what’s the conclusion? Cece?” She and Tinka look at her. Cece sighs.

“Are you two free the next three days?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chances are I will continue this no matter how little feedback I will get, but, you know, feedback is still nice. It will make me update faster because this is going to take a while lmao I have very little planned out. If y'all got any ideas of a chapter scenario that would be entertaining, I'd love to hear it


	3. Apply it up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sup you guys, sorry that these are taking long. this chapter has so much business talk which is suck at writing. btw did yall know this fic is inspired by the fanfic "Fuck the Critics" by Kurikuri? well now you know!

For sitting there during lunch, the cafe is quiet and half empty. Tinka really found a place private enough no one would bother them that’s still in public so Cece and Gunther couldn’t make a scene. Cece was the first one there, too worked up to be fashionably late. She is already halfway through her latte when the Hessenheffers show up. 

They usually match their clothes when they are seen together, but that seems too much when their audience is just one person and they want to be discreet. Tinka is wearing a golden sequin dress underneath a dark blue coat. The brand is unfamiliar to Cece but it looks expensive. Gunther on the other hand is wearing a white button up, a grey vest and grey dress pants underneath the same coat he had at the bar. The GH pin is visible as always. Cece wears casual clothes like a normal person, but she did consider wearing a Wibler dress again. Perhaps that would’ve been too obvious though, so she decided not to. She looks at her watch to stop staring at the pin. 

“You’re late”

“I know, I didn’t want to come” Gunther answers as he sits down. Tinka gives him a look that reminds Cece of how Rocky looks at her when she says something rude or stupid. She then opens her briefcase and picks up her computer. 

“Traffic was hectic, but that’s what I expected when planning the meeting during lunch hour. Let’s just discuss this now” 

“You’re gonna handle the paperwork?” Cece asks with raised eyebrows and then turns to Gunther. “Don’t  _ you _ have an assistant or something?” 

“I’d love to do my own work, but apparently I’m not allowed to” Gunther answers and glances at his sister. Tinka doesn’t look up from her screen. 

“It’s only for the start. I’ll send my documents to your staff and they’ll make the contract for you to sign. Now” she claps her hands together and looks up at the both of them. “Gunther, you can start with your proposition and what expectations you have”

“Right” Gunther straightens himself. “I want you… to be my model, wear the clothes I design for photoshoots and runways. You need to set aside other works you may have and may get, to only be the face of my brand. You will already have much work to do with me that you won’t need other plans”

“For free?”

“Obviously not” Cece can see him force himself to not roll his eyes. “There will be a compensation since you’ll only be working for me”

“Perfect. Cece...” Tinka says while writing. “What are your requirements?”

“Well...” she crosses her legs and leans to her chair. “If I’m going to be your… personal model, I never want to be contacted in a short notice. Always email, call or speak to me in good time before I’m needed. I expect double pay for overtime work. And I will not stand for the pay of any travel or stayings outside of Chicago” Tinka keeps on typing on the computer. 

“Now, let’s discuss what compromises there may be” she says after a while. 

“Oh yeah, there are a few” Gunther starts, letting go a little of his composure for a second. “First off, calling you in good time beforehand an appointment is impossible to achieve. My schedule is full-packed and never the same for even a week. There will be days I’ll need you the next day, or even in a few hours, and you’ll need to be prepared for that”

“Well, those are my requirements” Cece counters with the same looseness of composure. 

“This is so immature- You know how this branch is working by now. You need to be on time!”

“I never said I’ll be late, but I for sure will be less easy to handle”

“You’re already being difficult”

“Oh you think it’s difficult? I’m your last choice. It’s either me or you can go and have some monkey wear your dresses”

“I’m sure a monkey will be  _ easier to handle _ than you!”

“I’d like to see you try-”

“Alright guys!” Tinka interrupts, scooting her computer in-between them on the coffee table. “I know you two have history, but let handle this as professionals” Cece falls back to her backrest and crosses her arms, feeling how her puls have picked up speed. She watches as Gunther adjusts his jacked and moves a few hair strands away from his face. “Now, are there any other disagreements? Cece, are you fine with putting off other work while working under the Hessenheffer brand?”

“For now. If I find an opportunity that’s better than what you give me, I don’t want to be chained down” Cece answers. She never takes her eyes off Gunther, who glares at her back. 

“Okay” Tinka says, mostly to herself while she writes. “And to the disagreement at hand. I know being called on short notice is a hassle, but you really don’t have much of a choice here. I’m sure you’re well experienced with such situations before” Cece finally breaks eye contact to glance at Tinka and give her a small nod. That’s not really an assumptions. Being a model on the run is hard truly because the schedule is never the same. “You can, of course, demand to be allowed to decline certain gigs if you truly can’t make it”

“Seems fair enough”

“Good. So, do we have an agreement?” Tinka turns her screen for Gunther and Cece to read. They both nod. 

“Sure” Tinka smiles. 

“Perfect. I’ll send this to your agents and they will come up with a contract that fits to what we’ve discussed today. See? Isn’t it nicer to speak more privately?” They both shake their heads. 

“Are we done here?” Gunther asks flatly and raises his eyebrows.

“What? You got places to be?” Cece asks back. 

“You  _ don’t _ ?”

“Yes, we’re done here. Text me later” Tinka answers and Gunther immediately takes his things and leaves. Cece watches him and turns to her the moment the shop door closes. 

“You’re putting me up for hell, you know that right?”

“This is the hard part, trust me. You two will work just fine once you’re doing your parts” 

“Yeah, right…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so they are off to become work partners! how will that go? idk, we'll see! i love all your comments, they give me life and i think about your lovely words every time this fic passes my mind. hope you enjoy this!

**Author's Note:**

> I have only written one chapter of this, but if it gets enought positive feedback I might continue


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